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It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.
They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.
But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape—or even survive—life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?
Plague, Michael Grant's fourth book in the bestselling Gone series, will satisfy dystopian fans of all ages.
Readers who have stuck with the Gone novels up to now will perhaps find enough in this fourth installment to satisfy them on the road to the conclusion that's likely another 1,000 pages away. Others, not so much. With very little recap of life in the FAYZ, it's easy to become mired in the tedious goings-on of the endless cast of nearly indistinguishable, unlikable, power-hungry characters who are beset by dual plagues—flu and an infestation of parasitic insects that become giant, metallic killer bugs on a rampage. Clunky writing is at times reminiscent of a B movie, at others of a romance novel: "Yes, yes, she wanted him. She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted to kiss him. And maybe more. Maybe a lot more." The distinction in the FAYZ between Freaks and Normals is not made clear, at least not before this dialogue: " 'You and me, we're normal people. We're not black or queer or Mexican And we're the ones digging toilets'...'Astrid's a normal white person'... 'Sam's a freak, and I think he might even be a Jew.' "Pete, an autistic boy at the heart of the battle with the Darkness, is referred to as a "mutant retard," "freaktard," or just plain " 'tard." Utterly missable.(Science fiction. 12 & up)
Michael Grant is nothing like Mack MacAvoy. He travels all over the globe, he has a bit of a sarcastic streak, and he secretly suffers from belonephobia, a fear of needles. Seriously: Do not invite him to a sewing bee. Or a tattoo parlor. Okay, fine, maybe he's a little like Mack MacAvoy.
Michael is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series and has written a total of 150 books (yes, you read that right: one hundred and fifty). He wrote most of his books with his wife, Katherine Applegate (K.A.), but the action-packed thrillers in the Gone series are all his. As is his newest series, the Magnificent Twelve, in which he delves into his inner (or, some might say, not so inner) child to create Mack, the unlikeliest of heroes.
When Michael isn't busy writing, he likes to travel, stare blankly at the TV, waste hours clicking aimlessly around the internet, listen to rock music and sing along in a nasal voice, complain, and go out to eat.
My reaction after I read the last line of Plague? I was speechless, is all I can say. All you need to know is that I am DYING to read the fifth book, when the fourth hasn't even been released yet.
But you need to know more, don't you? Michael Grant's writing style is unique in every way. Believe me when I put him right next to JK Rowling. He belongs there. And I mean it.
For those of you who have read the first three books in the Gone series, you are well aware of the many different things happening at once. Every one and a half to two pages of so, we leave one character hanging from a cliff and run of to another. And its not just two of them. There are about four or five different things going on at once and in the end, everything ties together in one perfect ending. To me, that's beyond words (as you can tell from my weak explanation). To me, that's sheer genius.
In the latest installment of the Gone series, Sam and the kids in the FAYZ are far from content. Water is scarce, a horrifying sickness is spreading, and mutilating, sickening bugs are hatching out of human bodies. That's right, hatching out of the kids - and they can't even feel a thing.
Sam, with some of Perdido Beach's best fighters, is sent to scout for water, while Astrid is contemplating murder, and Caine is living luxuriously on the island. But of course, this is the FAYZ, nothing lasts long.
Heart pounding, thrilling, and all-around unputdownable, Plague is a masterpiece.
21 out of 25 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Sep 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011
there will be six books
7 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 EST 2012
I love this series! Its almost like the hunger games, except not as violent. But still, this book is kinda dark. I love all the characters and the plot line, but it just feels like the characters have turned into different people. Take Lana, for example. She was so much kinder and sweeter in the first book. Now shes a different person. Shes so bitter and she doesnt like people anymore. I know why, and I know this is to be expected, but it still makes me so sad. And Sam and Astrid have changed a lot too. But all in all, this has become one of my favorite series (and believe me, it is not easy to earn that title). It has a good plotline, and it leaves you begging for more. At the end of every chapter, you are almost shaking with anticipation. I suggest this book for teens into the hunger games and dystopion society stuff. Im already waiting the next book!
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Ophelia777
Posted Thu May 05 00:00:00 EDT 2011
this book was a great addition to the Gone Series. However, the fact that there were intense scenes in every chapter got a little annoying, along with the fact that there was no character development throughout the book... by the end i was saying, "Noo, i just want to find out the end already!" but it looks as though there is going to be yet another Gone book.
5 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Feb 29 00:00:00 EST 2012
I wrote this really long elaborate review, then accidently deleted it :(
Anyways, read the book, its awesome (read the first three before this one, though)
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2011
I have absolutely loved every book in the Gone series and this one certainly did not dissapoint! It had action and romamce and even a little comedy, practically everythimg a good book shoulf have. I couldn't put it down which was kindof upsetting because the whole thing was over in such a short time and now the next one's not out for a whole year! But still this is one of my favorite series and I can't wait to sea it continued!!!
4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Apr 02 00:00:00 EDT 2012
The theme of a dystopian society was a brilliant decision. Each word of every chapter fits together like some magnificent puzzle. Michael Grant is a truly amazing author! I love how after every couple paragraphs, he cleverly inserts a never-expected cliff-hanger, leaving you wanting to never put his books down. With all of the Gone series books, it seems as if the amount new problems never run out. The characters are probably the best part about this book. They all have specific views, opinions, thoughts, and quirks; that define them as their own unique individual. The descriptions in this book also leave your mind spinning in a whirl of images and scenes. Michael Grant turned his wild imagination into a pile of unedited papers wrought with pencil marks, into solid book of realiy. A book that sends you into a passing phase, that teleports you into, the FAYZ. The only thing I would change is the cover. If it were up to me, books wouldn't have covers, so they couldn't be falsely judged. We, as humans, tend to judge books and people by their outside, and not what's on the inside. Inside of the GONE covers, is creativity, thought, and a lot of effort.
-I'm with Caine all the way, and I would hate to see Drake die.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2012
I know that the GONE Series was wrirptten for teens but I was browsing & was intrigued by the title. At the time all 4 books were out so I read what each book was about. I took a gamble & bought them all & it was a gamble that was very enjoyable & engrossing. I got pullred in & just couldn' t stop reading until I had read them all. I so can' t wait to read book #5. My first experience ewith this author & will not be my last.
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Sep 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011
This is the best book i have ever read!!!!!!!!!
2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Sep 19 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Bestt ever
2 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Oct 29 00:00:00 EDT 2010
i love michael grants GONE series they're so interesting and thrilling. GONE was a great book and so was HUNGER, so when i found that plague was coming out i practicly danced in happiness. LIES is so far my favorite book from the GONE series because for me it was more interesting and it was still short. so lets hope PLAGUE is great!
2 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Plague by Michael Grant is an incredible book, the fourth in the Gone series. In Gone, everyone over age 15 in the sleepy California town of Perdido Beach suddenly disappears, leaving the kids stranded in the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone) in a desperate battle for survival. Sam Temple becomes mayor, but is soon confronted with many problems. This time, it's a killer plague, monster beetles, and an extreme water shortage. The plague kills by extreme coughing spasms. The beetles crawl into the host, then lay eggs and burrow out. The larvae soon follow, eating the victim from the inside out. I would recommend this book to all fans of apocalyptic fiction because at some points the characters take extreme risks to survive (such as Sam diving inside the mouth of the beetle queen). Also, there is tons of action. I give this book 5 stars out of 5 because it has excellent character development, and stellar action scenes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2012
This series has been incredible. Pulling the reader in, the author's complex characterization never fails to amaze. This is definitely one of my favorite series of books. I highly recommend this series. I would start with the first book and read them in order (Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear).
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012
If you can take lots of blood and gore, and you're at least 13 (I'm being a hypocrite herem twice!) this is a great book. This book was so great, I even had a dream about it (it included a toilet plubger stuck to Caine's face and a lot of explosions). There were some . . . graphic parts, and some stuff my mom would have a fit about if she knew I was reading it. The author describes the setting so well, I can almost imagine myself in there. The only thing stoping me is my severe gluten and milk allergy, and a medical condition I have. I'd probably be dead within a week if I were in the book, but needless to say, I LOVED this book. :)
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2013
Omg why are they so foul. I mean what 15 boy just plows someone that he likes. It wa graphic and to discriptive for my taste. But hey if yu like reading about sex and sexual immorality be it far from me to stop you. Sosad that a great book was ruined. And another thing what is all tje homosexuals i mean really i understand dekka but edillio that is to far. I resected astrid for resisting sams seductiveness. Now shes gone and lost her virginity. It shames all christan and catholis. This author was wrong, offensiv in so many ways, disgusting and makes me want to prove. So yeah thats all my negative thoughts on the sereis now the good parts.
Its hard making a super hero book appealing. The action can be grisly but hey thats what happens to people get garroted. The powers and fight for dominance strangely engrosses into the book. My favorite super is jack. His strenght and smarts makes him valuable. Least favorite is drake i had nightmares about that creep. It was over the top. Iwill see if light is any better if not i will breakdown into tears
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2012
This series is right up there with a few of my other favorites.. Twilight and Hunger Games. I could not put the book down. It took me a little more than a day to read. Then I had to go and by the next and the next and so on. Now after a week or so I am more than ready for the 6th book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Mar 03 00:00:00 EST 2012
Ok so i only took two stars out because they wont finish the story AND it is not good for little kids like me ( i know i shouldnt read the series since im in elementry school) but i think it ruins the story it would still be perfectly fine without all that stuff. other then that i LOVE the books cant wait to see how it ends!
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Feb 25 00:00:00 EST 2012
This book looks awesome!!!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Has anyone else noticed its just like the lord of the flies??????
Its still an amazing series(also read the heroes of olympus series and eragon if you havent already)
1 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Nov 18 00:00:00 EST 2010
i cant wait for it to come out!
1 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.
But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their ...